2 Samuel 3
1 And the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was prolonged, —and, David, waxed stronger and stronger, and, the house of Saul, became weaker and weaker.
There was then long warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid: but Dauid waxed stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker.
2 And there were born unto David, sons, in Hebron, —and it came to press that—His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam, the Jezreelitess;
And vnto Dauid were children borne in Hebron: and his eldest sonne was Amnon of Ahinoam the Izreelite,
3 And his second Chileab, by Abigail, wife of Nabal the Carmelite, And the third Absolom, son of Maachah, daughter of Talmai, king of Geshur;
And his seconde, was Chileab of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: and the third, Absalom the sonne of Maacah the daughter of Talmai the King of Geshur,
4 And the fourth Adonijah, son of Higgith, —And the fifth Shephatiah, son of Abital;
And the fourth, Adoniiah the sonne of Haggith, and the fifth, Shephatiah the sonne of Abital,
5 And the sixth Ithream, by Eglah wife of David. These, were born unto David, in Hebron.
And the sixt, Ithream by Eglah Dauids wife: these were borne to Dauid in Hebron.
6 And it came to pass, while the war continued between the house of Saul and the house of David, that, Abner, shewed himself courageous for the house of Saul.
Nowe while there was warre betweene the house of Saul and the house of Dauid, Abner made all his power for the house of Saul.
7 Now, Saul, had a concubine, whose name, was Rizpah daughter of Aiah, —and [Ish-bosheth] said unto Abner, Why, wentest thou in, unto my father’s concubine?
And Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiiah. And Ish-bosheth sayde to Abner, Wherefore hast thou gone in to my fathers concubine?
8 And it provoked Abner greatly, on account of the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said—Am I, the head of the dogs, that pertain unto Judah? To-day, would I deal in lovingkindness with the house of Saul thy father, towards his brethren, and towards his friends, and have not delivered thee into the hand of David, —and yet thou hast charged upon me the transgression of the woman, today.
Then was Abner very wroth for the words of Ish-bosheth, and said, Am I a dogges head, which against Iudah do shew mercie this day vnto the house of Saul thy father, to his brethren, and to his neighbours, and haue not deliuered thee into the hande of Dauid, that thou chargest me this day with a fault concerning this woman?
9 So, may God do unto Abner, and, so, may he add to him, —if, as Yahweh hath sworn unto David, even so, I deal not with him;
So doe God to Abner, and more also, except, as the Lord hath sworne to Dauid, euen so I doe to him,
10 by turning over the kingdom from the house of Saul, —and establishing the throne of David, over Israel and over Judah, from Dan, even unto Beer-sheba.
To remoue the kingdome from the house of Saul, that the throne of Dauid may be stablished ouer Israel, and ouer Iudah, euen from Dan to Beer-sheba.
11 And he could no further answer Abner, a word, —because he feared him.
And he durst no more answere to Abner: for he feared him.
12 So Abner sent messengers unto David, on the spot, saying—Whose, is the land? Saying [also] —Solemnise thy covenant with me; and lo! my hand, shall be with thee, to bring round unto thee, all Israel.
Then Abner sent messengers to Dauid on his behalfe, saying, Whose is the lande? who should also say, Make couenant with me, and beholde, mine hande shalbe with thee, to bring all Israel vnto thee.
13 And he said—Good! I, will solemnise with thee a covenant, —but, one thing, must I ask of thee, saying—Thou shalt not see my face, except thou have brought in Michal, Saul’s daughter, when thou comest to see my face.
Who saide, Well, I will make a couenant with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, that thou see not my face except thou bring Michal Sauls daughter when thou commest to see me.
14 And David sent messengers unto Ish-bosheth son of Saul, saying, —Give up my wife, Michal, whom I espoused to myself, for a hundred foreskins of Philistines.
Then Dauid sent messengers to Ish-bosheth Sauls sonne, saying, Deliuer me my wife Michal, which I marryed for an hundreth foreskinnes of the Philistims.
15 So Ish-bosheth sent and took her from her husband, —from Paltiel, son of Laish.
And Ish-bosheth sent, and tooke her from her husband Phaltiel the sonne of Laish.
16 And her husband went along with her, weeping as he went behind her, as far as Behurim, —when Abner said unto him—Go, return. And he returned.
And her husband went with her, and came weeping behinde her, vnto Bahurim: then saide Abner vnto him, Go, and returne. So he returned.
17 Then had Abner, speech, with the elders of Israel, saying, —In times past, ye were seeking David, to be king over you.
And Abner had communication with the Elders of Israel, saying, Ye sought for Dauid in times past, that he might be your King.
18 Now, therefore, act, —for Yahweh, spake unto David, saying, By the hand of David my servant, will I save my people Israel, out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.
Nowe then doe it: for the Lord hath spoken of Dauid, saying, By the hand of my seruant Dauid I will saue my people Israel out of the handes of the Philistims, and out of the handes of all their enemies.
19 And Abner also spake in the ears of Benjamin, —and Abner also went to speak in the ears of David, in Hebron, all that was pleasing in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.
Also Abner spake to Beniamin, and afterward Abner went to speake with Dauid in Hebron, concerning all that Israel was content with, and the whole house of Beniamin.
20 So, when Abner came in unto David, in Hebron, and, with him, twenty men, David made, for Abner, and for the men who were with him, a banquet.
So Abner came to Dauid to Hebron, hauing twentie men with him, and Dauid made a feast vnto Abner, and to the men that were with him.
21 Then said Abner unto David—I will verily arise and go, and gather together unto my lord the king, all Israel—that they may solemnise with thee a covenant, so shalt thou reign over all that thy soul desireth. And David let Abner go, and he departed in peace.
Then Abner sayde vnto Dauid, I will rise vp, and goe gather all Israel vnto my lorde the King, that they may make a couenant with thee, and that thou mayest reigne ouer all that thine heart desireth. Then Dauid let Abner depart, who went in peace.
22 And lo! the servants of David, and Joab, came in from a raid, and, great spoil, brought they in with them; but, Abner, was not with David in Hebron, for he had let him go, and he had departed in peace.
And beholde, the seruants of Dauid and Ioab came from the campe, and brought a great pray with them (but Abner was not with Dauid in Hebron: for he had sent him away, and he departed in peace)
23 When, Joab, and all the host that was with him, had come in, then told they Joab, saying, Abner son of Ner hath been in unto the king, and he hath let him go, and he hath departed in peace.
When Ioab, and all the hoste that was with him were come, men tolde Ioab, saying, Abner the sonne of Ner came to the King, and he hath sent him away, and he is gone in peace.
24 Then Joab came in unto the king, and said—What hast thou done? Lo! Abner came in unto thee. Wherefore is it that thou didst let him go, so that he is clean departed?
Then Ioab came to the King, and saide, What hast thou done? beholde, Abner came vnto thee, why hast thou sent him away, and he is departed?
25 Thou knowest Abner son of Ner, that, to deceive thee, he came, —and to take knowledge of thy going out, and thy coming in, and to take knowledge of all that thou art doing.
Thou knowest Abner the sonne of Ner: for he came to deceiue thee, and to knowe thy outgoing and ingoing, and to knowe all that thou doest.
26 And, when Joab had come out from David, he sent messengers after Abner, and brought him back from the well of Sirah, —but, David, knew it not.
And when Ioab was gone out from Dauid, he sent messengers after Abner, which brought him againe from the well of Siriah vnknowing to Dauid.
27 So Abner returned to Hebron, and Joab took him aside into the midst of the gate, to speak with him quietly, —and then smote him there, in the belly, that he died, for the blood of Asahel the brother of Joab.
And when Abner was come againe to Hebron, Ioab tooke him aside in the gate to speake with him peaceably, and smote him vnder the fift ryb, that he dyed, for the blood of Asahel his brother.
28 And, when David heard of it, after that, he said—Guiltless, am I and my kingdom before Yahweh, unto times age-abiding, —of the blood of Abner son of Ner.
And when afterwarde it came to Dauids eare, he saide, I and my kingdome are giltlesse before the Lord for euer, concerning the blood of Abner the sonne of Ner.
29 Let it be hurled upon the head of Joab, and against all his father’s house, —and let there not fail from the house of Joab—one that hath an issue, or a leper, or one that leaneth on a crutch, or that falleth by the sword, or that lacketh bread.
Let the blood fall on the head of Ioab, and on all his fathers house, that the house of Ioab be neuer without some that haue running issues, or leper, or that leaneth on a staffe, or that doeth fall on the sworde, or that lacketh bread.
30 Thus, Joab and Abishai his brother, slew Abner, —because he had caused the death of Asahel their brother, in Gibeon, in the battle.
(So Ioab and Abishai his brother slewe Abner, because he had slaine their brother Asahel at Gibeon in battel)
31 And David said unto Joab, and unto all the people who were with him, —Rend your clothes, and gird you with sackcloth, and lament aloud before Abner. And, King David himself, was following the bier.
And Dauid said to Ioab, and to al the people that were with him, Rent your clothes, and put on sackecloth, and mourne before Abner: and King Dauid him selfe followed the beare.
32 And they buried Abner in Hebron, —and the king lifted up his voice and wept, at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept.
And when they had buryed Abner in Hebron, the King lift vp his voyce, and wept beside the sepulchre of Abner, and all the people wept.
33 And the king addressed his dirge unto Abner, and said, —As a base man dieth, should Abner have died?
And the King lamented ouer Abner, and sayde, Dyed Abner as a foole dyeth?
34 Thy hands, were not bound, And, thy feet, near to fetters, were not brought, As one falleth before assassins, so didst thou fall! And again all the people wept over him.
Thine handes were not bounde, nor thy feete tyed in fetters of brasse: but as a man falleth before wicked men, so diddest thou fall. And all the people wept againe for him.
35 And, when all the people came near to get David to eat bread, while yet it was day, David sware, saying—So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, if, before the sun go in, I taste bread, or anything else.
Afterwarde all the people came to cause Dauid eate meate while it was yet day, but Dauid sware, saying, So doe God to me and more also, if I taste bread, or ought els till the sunne be downe.
36 And, all the people, took note of it, and it was noble in their eyes, —as, all that the king did, was, in the eyes of all the people, noble.
And all the people knewe it, and it pleased them: as whatsoeuer the King did, pleased all the people.
37 So then all the people, and all Israel, took note, that day, that it was not of the king, to cause the death of Abner son of Ner.
For all the people and all Israel vnderstoode that day, howe that it was not the Kings deede that Abner the sonne of Ner was slaine.
38 And the king said unto his servants, —Will ye not take note that, a prince and a great man, hath fallen this day, in Israel?
And the King said vnto his seruants, Know ye not, that there is a prince and a great man falle this day in Israel?
39 And, I myself, this day, am weak, though anointed king, but, these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are more severe than I: Yahweh repay, the doer of wickedness, according to his wickedness.
And I am this day weake and newly anoynted King: and these men the sonnes of Zeruiah be too harde for me: the Lord rewarde the doer of euill according to his wickednesse.
